How we transport our gear to Belize

This year our long time guide Neri Chi undertook the long drive down to Belize for us, driving a new truck and trailer full of new gear: 3 paddleboards, 2 sea kayaks, 3 sit on top boats, paddles, lifejackets, solar panels, and other assorted parts to keep our island resort well-supplied. I have done this drive 25+ times over the course of my career, but this year Neri agreed to do it for me.

Each year I spend at least a month prior to the drive down ordering new equipment for the island. Everything is shipped to Moab and stored in Lucy’s shed in her backyard. After weeks of organizing and the final two days of packing Neri and Karl Larson (a friend of ours from Moab who never says no to adventure) headed out. It takes 3 days to get to the Mexico border at Brownsville, TX then one day to get through Mexican Customs. We are required to travel with a Transit Permit through Mexico, so that requires lots of paperwork and hiring an agent. Once through the border, Neri took the route down the Gulf Coast, first passing through the border zone of the drug cartels, then the cities of Tampico and Veracruz before hitting the isthmus and the tropics in southern Mexico. The roads vary between nice four lane interstates to crowded, narrow, and pot hole strewn two lane roads. It’s a slow trip, and we never travel after dark. This is the fun part of it, staying in the best hotels all the way down. (Click on each photo below to see the full image.)

Upon reaching Chetumal at the border with Belize, we spend another day getting into Belize, where we have to pay duty on all the gear and vehicle before driving the final 2 hours to Belize City. After 8 days on the road, it is a welcome relief to finally pull into our driveway and relax!

Today Neri and Karl are just arriving at the Belize border, they’ll be at our Belize City house tomorrow. Neri, welcome home and Karl, welcome to Belize!